Poll

Opinion

While the Ohio River is such an important part of life in Carroll County, we often take it for granted.

The river is the reason we have many of the industries in our community that provide jobs for local residents and for those throughout the region. It is also one of the reasons that the county attracts so many tourists to the area each year.

On Saturday morning, the Ohio River will be the focus of a large group of volunteers who will hit the riverbanks to rid it of debris and garbage that collects through the year as the river levels rise and decline.

On May 14, my wife and I got the phone call no parent wants to get. Our daughter called screaming, “Help Me Mommy.”

She was calling from inside her SUV that she had lost control of and overturned. We immediately called 911 and a state trooper was there within a minute of our call. Emily was taken to Carroll County Memorial Hospital where we were told that she had a broken back. She was transferred to Kosair Children’s Hospital. She had surgery to repair her back, but will need extensive rehab for the next couple of months.

On May 14, my wife and I got the phone call no parent wants to get. Our daughter called screaming, “Help me, Mommy.”

She was calling from inside her SUV that she had lost control of and overturned. We immediately called 911 and a State Trooper was there within a minute of our call. Emily was taken to Carroll County Memorial Hospital where we were told that she had a broken back. She was transferred to Kosair Children’s Hospital. She had surgery to repair her back, but will need extensive rehab for the next couple of months.

Our Carroll County mail carriers and postal workers pulled together in a heroic effort to Stamp Out Hunger the weekend of May 9. They worked overtime to collect more than 1,200 items donated by generous households to feed needy families. Through this united effort, the shelves of the Ministerial Association Food Pantry in the basement of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church are again full.

Koko Taylor, Queen of the Blues, died this week. She was 80 years old and performing right up to the end.

In 1997, she was the headliner at our own “Blues to the Point” festival here in Carrollton. Late Saturday night, following her blazing performance, she told me that she would really like a ride to Louisville’s airport the next day as she did not like to ride the bus with the band.

Where do we go when it is after doctor’s hours, the office is closed and you are sick and need attention, but can’t go to the emergency room because the doctor says it is not an emergency?

The sick person does not know if it is an emergency or not.

I understand the new hospital ruling is to weed out those that go to the emergency room frequently but most go only when necessary. Most of us don’t carry $100, in cash, to hand out at a moment’s notice.

I want to thank everyone who has helped me flag veterans graves on the Sunday before Memorial Day. Each year American Legion Post 41 sponsors this program and has for a long time. This is done with many dedicated volunteers who show up each year without being asked. They just know it happens.

I have taken care of this for Legion Post 41 for about 15 years and have enjoyed each year.

If you have a child support case in Carroll County and feel like you are being treated unfairly by the case workers — whether you are the one getting or sending support — you can report your issue to either Jim Monk or his assistant Nick Marsh at (502) 732-7009. Just make an appointment.

Mr. Marsh is new and is changing some things and assures me he will listen to your complaint and look into it. The case workers and other people in that office work for Mr. Monk.

As lifelong members of the Carroll County area, it is our hope that Carrollton will continue to thrive, and more tourists and businesses will be attracted to our area.

We are members of the Young Leaders Institute, and as members we were required to do a community service project dealing with our county. The project that our group chose is “the beautification of downtown Carrollton.”

Carrollton is an amazing town, but it has come to our attention that the downtown area is in need of some beautification.

Thanks to all. The Spring Bash Demo Derby was a huge success, a show of this size takes a lot of work and preparation and is not accomplished by just a couple of people. I would like those who worked on this derby recognized.

First of all, most of our help comes from our families and friends, not from people on the fair board, always seems unless its convention time they have something more important to do.

We invite you to join us at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Carrollton. This special event is Friday, May 29 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the following morning at the Carroll County Fairgrounds, located behind Walmart. Survivor registration begins at 6 p.m. under the tent by the stage. There is no charge for survivors to participate, and all survivors will receive a t-shirt and medallion.

As a parent of one of the varsity tennis team players that was put on disciplinary action last week, I just want to put the record straight on why these girls were not allowed to play tennis last Monday night against Gallatin County since that was not explained in the article in The News-Democrat or The Madison Courier.

If you have a lot of time to spare, ask a fire chief for a tour of their stations and equipment. I spent over an hour with the chiefs of the Bedford and Milton Volunteer Fire Departments who wanted to show me the equipment they have and how all of it could be crucial, given the right kind of emergency.